NewsHypersonic missile: North Korea speaks of new nuclear tests

Hypersonic missile: North Korea speaks of new nuclear tests

First, North Korea fired a projectile into the open sea. Now it is said to be a hypersonic missile threatened by ruler Kim Jong-un.

Seoul – North Korea *, the self-proclaimed nuclear power, has made great strides with state-of-the-art missiles. The academy for defense science has successfully tested a newly developed hypersonic missile of “strategic importance”, reported the state media on Wednesday (29.09.2021).

Speeds above five times the speed of sound, i.e. around 6180 kilometers per hour, are referred to as hypersonic. Weapons of this type are therefore difficult to intercept. According to the South Korean military, however, North Korea’s development of such missile systems is still in the early stages.

North Korea confirms missile test

The Hwasong-8 missile was fired from the Chagang province bordering China, according to North Korean information. North Korea thus confirmed Tuesday’s missile test *. The new missile is of great importance for the military strategy, it said. North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong-un threatened at a party meeting in late 2019 that the world would experience a “new strategic weapon” in the near future.

Dieses von der nordkoreanischen Regierung zur Verfügung gestellte Foto zeigt eine nach nordkoreanischen Angaben neue Hyperschallrakete.

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This photo, made available by the North Korean government, shows what North Korean sources say is a new hypersonic missile.

The South Korean military announced on Tuesday that North Korea had fired a short-range missile into the open sea. It was unclear how far the missile flew and what type of missile it was. UN resolutions actually prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles, which, depending on their design, can also carry a nuclear warhead. The country is subject to severe international sanctions because of its nuclear weapons program.

Hypersonic Missile from North Korea: Early Stage of Development

As for the speed and other characteristics of the North Korean hypersonic missile, “it appears to be at an early stage of development,” a statement from the General Staff in South Korea said. Accordingly, the development still requires considerable time before the weapons could be set up for use. The fact that Kim Jong-un * describes the rocket as a “strategic weapon” suggests that it should also carry nuclear warheads, wrote the expert Ankit Panda on Twitter.

North Korea indicated that further tests of the novel missiles will follow. At the first test start, the most important technical requirements were met, including launch stability and maneuverability. The same applies to the flight characteristics of the “separated hyper-fast gliding warhead”.

South Korea sees North Korea provocation in missile test

The National Security Council in South Korea expressed its regret over the renewed missile test in the largely isolated neighboring country. North Korea had already fired two short-range missiles a good two weeks ago. South Korean President Moon Jae In called the test a “provocation” at the time.

For years, Pyongyang has been promoting the development of missiles that not only hit South Korea and Japan, but can also carry nuclear warheads as far as the USA *. The country has declared itself a nuclear power. However, in light of the negotiations on its controversial nuclear program, its status is being kept open. The US negotiations with North Korea have not made any headway for more than two and a half years. (ktho / dpa) * fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

Header list image: © KCNA / dpa

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